Page 13 of Buzzer Beater

Several sets of eyes widened, all looking at me.

Grant nodded. “Yeah, but she’s engaged.”

Erik leaned forward. “Colin? Are you okay?”

Grant glanced from me to them. “Why wouldn’t he be? Yeah, she was cute but there are plenty of single women here.”

“That’s not just some random girl, Grant.” Olli spoke low enough for just our table to hear.

“Who is she?” Grant looked confused, along with a few of the women at the table.

“She’s his ex.” Emma said, giving me a sympathetic smile.

“What?” Grant whipped his head around to the direction of her table.

I grabbed his shoulder. “Don’t look over there.”

“Why did she say it was nice to meet you?”

Chloe glared. “She pretended not to know you?”

I shrugged. I didn’t know what to say. I had no idea why she was acting like that. I mean, I had a small inkling. It’s not like we left things on good terms. In fact, I’m pretty sure the last thing she said to me was that she hoped I lived a miserable life, alone.

I deserved it.

I deserved every bad look, every insult, every punch to the gut I felt when I thought about her.

She’d once been my life. My universe. She was the love of my life, and I destroyed it. She gave me her heart and I stomped on it. She trusted me, and I violated that in the worst possible way.

After our break-up, I didn’t date. I told the guys it was because girls were an unnecessary distraction, but those who knew me longer knew how Lucy had broken my heart. Well, after I’d shattered hers into a million, irreparable pieces.

“What are you going to do?” Emma asked in a quiet voice.

I looked up to see everyone watching me.

“I don’t know.” That was the best answer I had for Emma’s question. It was the only answer I could come up with.

“This is your chance, Colin.” Chloe and Madi were sitting next to each other nodding.

“Chloe’s right. This is your second chance.”

Those two were trouble. Always matchmaking, trying to give everyone a happily ever after.

“No, I think it was meant to be a reminder of what I’ve done.” That earned me sympathetic looks from everyone. I shook my head. Pity was not what I wanted.

“It’s fine,” I said. “Grant, you go hang out with Elena. I’ll do what I can to avoid Lucy. Now that I know she’s here, I’ll be on the lookout.”

Chloe sat back and crossed her arms. “Maybe this is your chance to talk to her. Fix things?”

I nodded like I’d actually consider it, but I knew I wouldn’t follow through. I had a feeling she was lying about the engagement, but I believed she was here for a bachelorette party, and she deserved a nice vacation more than me. I’d stay out of her way.

Colby fell into the empty chair next to Noah and pursed her lips. I hadn’t even noticed she was missing.

“What’s going on?” Noah asked her.

“Something’s suspicious.”

I looked around wondering if anyone else knew what she was talking about.